SWAMP Invaders

from Coastal Angler Magazine | July 2023 | Miami Edition

BLOTCHY BASS SYNDROME IS A VIRUS

by Captain Mike Tojdowski

Swamp invaders are taking over, and we need your help! Mayan, golden Oscars, and midas cichlids have been on the rise throughout the fresh waterway systems of Miami. ere has been an uptick in these exotics being caught in the urban waterways and even pushing North to the county lines and all the way West into the Everglades. ese sh were introduced by people who made a bad decision to release their pet sh into neighborhood lakes and canals, which now has resulted in an explosion in their numbers. None of our local predators can keep in check. is is why we, as anglers, need to step up and help combat these invaders. Why, you ask? Well, since there is only so much habitat and only so much food that the system can sustain, these invasive sh are consuming resources that our prized sh, such as the largemouth bass, peacocks, snook and tarpon need.

Fishing Forecast: As the waters continue to heat up with the summer rays in full e ect, so will the tarpon bite. ey will need to come up for oxygen exposing themselves to anglers on the prowl. You will want to be ready with a 3-4 inch suspending jig or uke that you can lead them with. Making sure your lure matches the current bait locally found in your water such as a mullet or shad. Live bait is always a great option as well. Peacock bass are a year-round target sh, although we do nd that in the summer they tend to sit deeper in the water column. We run diving baits or live shiners with a split shot about 8-10 inches from the hook. Rule of thumb in the summer is “slow and deep”. Snook are also picking up this time of year and can be targeted on bridges and moving waterways that have rocks or culverts that they can hide in or around.